Statue of a Roman Girl

Artist: Unknown
Date: About 100 A.D.
Location: Waymon L. Hickman, Entryway

This portrait-statue was found in Rome and is now in the museum of the Louvre in Paris. It is an excellent example of the development of the Korai or art of sculpting young women.

This young Roman girl may be thought of as a companion to the Statue of a Youth, though there is no solid evidence it was sculpted by Stephanos. True to the Archaic tradition of the Korai, the young girl is draped in a simple, loose-hanging dress called a chiton. Unlike the male figure, the female is rarely undraped in classical sculpture. The folds of the garment give the impression of the flesh beneath. Moreover, the drapery hints at perfected or impending body movement. The placement of feet and arms, as well as the slight tilt of the head, are naturalistic and lifelike. Her hair is caught up gracefully in a band of cloth forcing small curls spilling over onto the crown of her head. Her stance and demeanor give the impression of maidenly shyness.

Descriptive and historical information about the sculptures compiled by Dr. Douglas O. Eason.